Compare towns
Woonsocket vs Ware vs Blackstone vs North Smithfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Blackstone has the most people working from home (17.4%).
North Smithfield has the highest household income ($109k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Woonsocket | Ware | Blackstone | North Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 43,521Highest |
6,369Lowest |
9,255 |
12,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.8±6 about the U.S. average |
43.2±1.7 11% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Smithfield and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket and North Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
$45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$94,191±$21k 17% above U.S. |
$108,866±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$253,400±$31kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$404,400±$34k 22% above U.S. |
$457,200±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,189±$85 16% below U.S. |
$1,282±$531Highest 9% below U.S. |
| North Smithfield and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$5,703Highest 83% above U.S. |
$5,219 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Blackstone and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Blackstone and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 38 in RI | #267 of 282 in MA | #207 of 282 in MA | #13 of 38 in RI |
| School district | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — | Blackstone-Millville | North Smithfield |
| High school in town | Woonsocket High School | — | Blackstone Millville RHS | North Smitfield HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
— | 13.6 |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.